U.S. MUST CHANGE DRUG WAR STRATEGY

THE STATE DEPARTMENT has just issued its annual certification of how
effectively other countries are cooperating with the United States in
countering the illegal drug trade. Count us among the growing chorus
calling for the certification system to be repealed or revised substantially.

The current certification requirement, enacted by Congress in 1985, is
bitterly resented by the very countries whose cooperation we most
desperately need, notably Mexico. Scrutinizing every other country involved
in drug trafficking while saying nothing about the U.S. role as the world's
largest and richest drug-consuming market is more than arrogant, unfair and
insulting. It's also counterproductive to the U.S. goal of forging the
strongest possible drug-fighting alliances.

MOREOVER, THE LAW'S threatened sanction of cutting off U.S. assistance to
any government that is decertified lacks credibility. In practice, only
remote countries like Afghanistan and Myanmar get decertified. Mexico is
certified year after year, less because its corrupted law enforcement and
government institutions are reliable allies than because decertification
would be counterproductive.

So, the whole certification process has long since become something of a
cynical sham - and one deeply resented by those abroad whose cooperation is
essential to combating the drug trade.

Fortunately, there is growing momentum for changing the law. President
Bush, Secretary of State Colin Powell and influential senators of both
political parties are joining the call for a better, fairer system.

Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona and Democrat Christopher Dodd of
Connecticut propose suspending certification for two years while the United
States develops multilateral strategies with other nations. Sen. Joseph
Biden, D-Del., a co-sponsor of the 1985 law, now supports a two-year
suspension.

CALIFORNIA DEMOCRAT Barbara Boxer and Texas Republican Phil Gramm are
co-sponsoring legislation exempting from certification countries that sign
bilateral anti-drug agreements with the United States. Note that Boxer and
Gramm represent the two states, California and Texas, most immediately
affected by the cross-border drug trafficking from Mexico.

Certification may have served a useful purpose in impressing foreign
governments that Washington was serious about fighting an evil and
corrupting drug trade. But it's now time to stress building effective
alliances of the sort that Mexico's new president, Vicente Fox, pledged
during his recent meeting with President Bush. Replacing the certification
law with something better will promote those alliances.